Container lid having gasketless liquid seal

ABSTRACT

Apparatus includes a lid and a container/lid combination, in which the interface between the lid and container provides a liquid-tight seal without the need for a separate gasket member or device. Various embodiments include corresponding tongue and groove elements, and mating tapered channels and edges. Detents or engagement structures may be provided to hold the lid to the container in the desired relationship.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Pursuant to 35 U.S.C § 120 and any other applicable provisions,this application hereby claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/834,528, filed on Apr. 12, 2001. The contents of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/834,528, and of any other U.S. patent or otherreference, if any, cited in this application, are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

[0002] This invention relates to containers and associated lids, andmore particularly to providing a liquid-tight seal between such lids andcontainers without the need for separate gasket elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In order to effectively process, transport, and handle variousliquids, it is helpful and frequently necessary to provide aliquid-tight seal between a lid and its associated container. This iscommonly accomplished by positioning a flexible gasket along the contactarea between the lid and container.

[0004] Using a separate gasket member requires additional costs,inventory, assembly, and other factors impacting the economics andecological considerations of providing a liquid-tight container.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide animproved lid and container combination.

[0006] It is another object of this invention to provide a liquid-tightseal between a container having an upper edge defining an opening, andan injection-molded lid configured to cover the opening. The lid ischaracterized by a channel at its periphery, with the channel configuredto abut and form a liquid-tight seal with the upper edge of thecontainer when the lid is assembled on the container.

[0007] A further object of this invention is to provide a container andlid combination of the aforementioned character, in which the containerupper edge is tapered from a relatively thinner dimension to arelatively thicker dimension moving in from the upper edge toward abottom portion of the container, and the channel includes acorresponding tapered section. The tapering relationship providescontacting and sealing engagement between the lid and the container onboth an inner contact surface and an outer contact surface of the upperedge. The channel can also sealingly contact the “point” of thecontainer upper edge (or a similar transition surface between the innercontact surface and the outer contact surface). The channel on the lidmay be formed by an inner skirt and an outer skirt, both of which aregenerally downwardly directed, and the outer skirt can includes a lowerportion spaced outwardly from the container upper edge to make it easierto align the lid on the container. Cooperating engagement detents on thelid and the container can help hold the lid and the container in theliquid-tight sealing relationship.

[0008] An additional object of this invention is to provide a containerand lid combination of the aforementioned character, in whichcorresponding tongue and groove members on the lid and the containerinterfit with each other within the channel, the tongue and groovemembers providing the structure to abut and form a liquid-tight sealwith the upper edge of the container. In certain embodiments, thecontainer upper edge includes a generally horizontal peripheral surfacewhen the container opening faces upwards, the lid channel including aconfronting generally horizontal surface, and the tongue and groovemembers include a tongue element formed on the lid channel's generallyhorizontal surface sized and configured to seat within a groove elementin the container upper edge.

[0009] A related object of this invention is to provide a container lidhaving a tapered channel at its periphery, the channel configured toabut and form a liquid-tight seal with an upper edge of a correspondingcontainer when the lid is assembled on the container. As indicatedabove, the tapering provides contacting and sealing engagement betweenthe lid and the container.

[0010] A similar object of this invention is the provision of a lidhaving a generally U-shaped cross section, both legs of the crosssection configured to abut a corresponding container to thereby form aliquid-tight seal with the container. The lid can include inwardlydirected engagement detents on the outermost of the legs to engagecorresponding detents on the container, to hold the lid in theliquid-tight sealing relationship on the container.

[0011] Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following specification and the accompanying drawings, whichare for the purpose of illustration only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of thecontainer lid of the invention assembled with a container.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view along reference line 2-2of FIG. 1.

[0014]FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but illustrates the preferred actionto engage the lid with the container.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view along reference line 4-4of FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view along reference line 5-5of FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, butillustrates one of the many alternative embodiments of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, butillustrates the alternative embodiment of FIG. 6.

[0019]FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, butillustrates another of the many alternative embodiments of theinvention.

[0020]FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7, butillustrates the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a preferred hinged, rectangular, recessedlid embodiment of the invention. Persons of ordinary skill in the artwill understand, however, that the invention can be practiced in a widevariety of shapes and sizes of containers and corresponding lids,including without limitation round, square, rectangular, hinged lids,non-hinged lids, etc.

[0022] In FIGS. 1-5, a container 10 and lid 30 cooperatively engage toprovide a liquid-tight seal. Although not critical to the invention (asfurther explained below), the lid 30 is illustrated as including a hingemember 31. After removal of a tearstrip 33, a first portion 32 of thelid remains relatively fixed to the container 10, while the hinge 31permits a second portion 34 can be raised away from the container (topermit access to the contents thereof) and lowered back into resealingengagement with the container.

[0023] Persons of ordinary skill in the art also will understand thatthe invention is useful for containers and lids regardless of whetherthey incorporate tearstrips (for tamper-evidencing or other purposes),and regardless of the tearline pattern for any such tearstrips. Certainbasic concepts regarding tearstrips, their patterns, and related mattersare disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,968, and the teachings of thatpatent are expressly incorporated by reference herein. Among otherthings, for embodiments in which the tearstrip pattern leaves resealingstructures on the lid after removal of the tearstrip, those resealingstructures (such as the cooperating detents described herein) cancontinue to help maintain the liquid-tight sealing relationship betweenthe lid and container, even after removal of the tearstrip and theopening and reclosure of the lid onto the container.

[0024] The preferred embodiment of the lid 30 and container 10 arefabricated by injection molding or some similar process, preferably toprovide a suitably strong, lightweight, liquid-tight container assembly.Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any suitableprocess and materials can be used, so long as it provides theliquid-tight sealing described herein.

[0025] FIGS. 2-5 illustrate various aspects of the preferredliquid-tight sealing relationship between lid 30 and container 10.Container 10 preferably includes a generally tapered upper edge 12 thatdefines an upwardly directed opening. Lid 30 preferably covers thatopening, and includes a mating peripheral channel 40. Preferred channel40 is configured to abut and form a liquid-tight seal with the upperedge 12 of the container when the lid 30 is assembled on the container10. Channel 40 may be conveniently described as having a generallyU-shaped cross section, with both inner leg 42 and outer leg 44 of thecross section configured to abut container edge 12 to form the desiredliquid-tight seal with the container 10. Preferably, the tolerances andprecise angles and dimensions of the upper edge 12 and the channel 40are such that a liquid-tight seal can be achieved at that interfacewithout using a separate gasket element.

[0026] The preferred container upper edge 12 is tapered from arelatively thinner dimension to a relatively thicker dimension moving infrom the upper edge 12 toward a bottom portion 11 of the container (FIG.1). Preferred channel 40 includes a corresponding tapered section. Thetapering relationship provides contacting and sealing engagement betweenthe lid 30 and the container 10 on both an inner contact surface(abutting leg 42) and an outer contact surface (abutting leg 44) of theupper edge 12.

[0027] Channel 40 can also sealingly contact the “point” of thecontainer upper edge (or a similar transition surface between the innercontact surface and the outer contact surface). Persons of ordinaryskill in the art will understand that, in such embodiments,substantially the entire channel surface (the channel sides and bottom,or the inner sides and bottom of the “U”) is in sealing contact with thecontainer's upper edge.

[0028] The sealing engagement between channel 40 and upper containeredge 12 can be further enhanced by providing the upper edge 12 slightlylarger than the channel 40, to ensure an interference fit with the lidand container are assembled together.

[0029] The legs 42 and 44 of channel 40 may also be described as aninner skirt 42 and an outer skirt 44, both of which are generallydownwardly directed. Outer skirt 44 preferably includes a lower portion46 spaced outwardly from the container upper edge 12. This spacing ispreferably provided by a shoulder section 45, and makes it easier to“seat” or align the lid 30 onto the container 10.

[0030] Cooperating engagement detents 48 (on the lid 30) and 50 (on thecontainer 10) can help hold the lid 30 and the container 10 in theliquid-tight sealing relationship, or at least hold them more tightlytogether. As explained elsewhere herein and in my U.S. Pat. No.5,617,968, these detents can be used in combination with varioustearstrip configurations to provide desired initial sealing andsubsequent resealing, as well as other benefits.

[0031] Preferably, these detents 48 and 50 are formed as an outwardlyextending bead 50 around the periphery of the container and an inwardlyprojecting bead 48 on the interior of flange 46. Persons of ordinaryskill in the art will understand, however, that either or both of thebeads 48 and 50 can be interrupted rather than completely encircling thelid or container, or can be positioned at strategic locations about theperiphery to provide the desired engagement and retention.

[0032]FIG. 3 illustrates, among other things, the preferred motion toengage the lid 30 with the container 10. By pushing in the directionindicated by arrow A, the skirt or flange 46 pivots outwardly and thenback inwardly, as the lid “snaps” onto the container as the beads 48 and50 pass over each other. For applications in which the seal between thelid 30 and container 10 does not need to be as rugged or withstand asmuch handling or force, the detent engagement described herein may notbe necessary.

[0033]FIGS. 1 and 4 also illustrates the relationship of inner “walls”such as corner structure 47. Persons of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that, in certain applications, it may be necessary ordesirable to include various shapes (such as wall 47) within the lid 10,spaced from the channel/seal elements of the lid and container. In suchembodiments, the desired liquid-tight seal can best be maintained byproviding the inner flange 42 (see FIG. 4) on the lid in abuttingcontact with the container upper edge 12 around the full perimeter ofthe container.

[0034]FIG. 5 further illustrates aspects of the preferred tearstrip 33and breakline 27 and hingeline 29. Those breaklines and hingelines arepreferably formed in lid 30 to facilitate the hinging of the firstportion 32 (see FIG. 1) and second portion 34 (see FIG. 1) at hinge 31.Forming such frangible lines 27 and bendable lines 29 in the lid makesit easier to break loose (as to the vertical line 27) and pivot (alongthe horizontal line 29) the second portion 34.

[0035]FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate one of the many alternative embodimentsof the invention. Most of the general description above applies to thisembodiment as well. For example, engagement of the lid and container ofthis embodiment is illustrated by arrows C and D in FIG. 6, similar toarrows A and B in FIG. 3.

[0036] However, the container upper edge in FIGS. 6 and 7 preferablyincludes a generally horizontal surface 112, and the lid channelpreferably includes a confronting generally horizontal surface 114.Corresponding tongue and groove or “tooth and slot” members 116 (on thelid) and 118 (on the container) preferably interfit with each otherwithin the peripheral lid channel. The tongue and groove members 116 and118 provide the structure (or further structure) to abut and form thedesired liquid-tight seal with the upper edge of the container.

[0037] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that, amongthe many alternative embodiments of the invention, the tongue and grooveelements 116 and 118 may be reversed from that shown in FIGS. 6 and 7(so that the tongue is located on the container and the groove islocated on the lid). In addition, and as discussed below, the shape,size and alignment of the tongue and groove generally and with respectto each other can vary widely and still provide (and even enhance) manyof the benefits of the invention, including the sealing relationshipbetween the lid and container. Among other things, the tongue 116 can beformed slightly larger than the groove 118 to help ensure sealingcontact between the two when the lid and container are assembled witheach other.

[0038] Similarly, horizontally offsetting the tongue and groove 116 and118 from each other can provide enhanced or “forced” sealing contactbetween the tongue and groove. In such an embodiment, during assembly ofthe lid onto the container, the tip of tongue 116 would initiallycontact one sloping surface of groove 118 and then “slide” into thebottom of groove 118 (resulting in a “seated” relationship similar tothat shown in FIG. 7). Persons of ordinary skill in the art also willunderstand that this misalignment and consequent beneficial effect canoccur even if one or both of the tongue and groove are “symmetrical” andvertical as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0039] Thus, a wide range of “tongue and groove” embodiments of theinvention exist other than the vertically symmetrical, alignedembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. By way of further example,FIGS. 8 and 9 are similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, but illustrate yet anotherof the many alternative embodiments of the invention. Again, most of theforegoing description regarding the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 appliesas well to the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9. Among other things,engagement of the lid and container of this embodiment is illustrated byarrows E and F in FIG. 8, similar to arrows C and D in FIG. 6.

[0040] In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, however, the tongue or tooth216 is preferably misaligned with the groove or slot 218. As will beunderstood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, this intentionalmisalignment ensures and enhances the contact (and the force of thecontact) between tooth 216 and slot 218. Preferably, the lid, container,tooth, and groove (or at least some of them) are formed of a materialhaving “shape memory” that tends to “force” surface 217 of tooth 216into an enhanced contact with its confronting surface in slot or groove218. This “shape memory” is beneficial not only with this “misalignment”feature, but with the slope, relative size, and other tooth/slotfeatures described herein.

[0041] Tooth 216 also is preferably sloped, in contrast to thevertically symmetrical V-shape shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIGS. 8 and 9,both sides of tooth 216 are sloped in the same direction (shown assloping downwardly to the right, or “outward”, in FIG. 8). Persons ofordinary skill in the art will understand that sloping downwardly to theleft (or “inward”) would provide at least some benefits similar to thosediscussed with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9. Similarly, atleast some degree of these benefits can be enjoyed in embodiments wherethe tooth or tongue 216 has differing slopes (rather than symmetrical,as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7), even if one surface of tooth 216 slopes tothe left and the other slopes to the right.

[0042] Among other things, and especially if both sides of tooth 216 aresloped the same direction and the material of tooth 216 is sufficientlyflexible and has “shape memory” (as discussed above), tooth 216 can bendor deform slightly and seat itself tightly into slot 218 as the lid andcontainer are assembled together.

[0043] The sloped, misaligned structure and relationship of tooth andslot 216 and 218 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 (or a downward left—or“inward”—sloping embodiment, not shown) also can provide enhancedsealing in the event of slightly increased internal pressure (orslightly decreased pressure, such as can occur with “burping” gas fromthe container) within the “sealed” container. For embodiments such asthose of FIGS. 6-9, the desired sealing relationship between the lid andcontainer can occur primarily or exclusively via the aforementionedtongue and groove (or tooth and slot) structures. In certain embodiments(not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9), additional sealing contact can occurbetween the inner lid skirt 221 and the confronting container sidewall.FIGS. 8 and 9 instead illustrate an embodiment in which one or more burpribs 223 are provided to help form a burp space 220 between containersidewall 219 and inner lid skirt 221. As mentioned above, such a gap isnot necessary (for example, none exists in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and7), but it can facilitate certain applications of the invention, such asthe ability to “burp” gas or air from the container.

[0044] The embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 preferably further includes alead-in angle 222 at the lower outer edge of the lid's inner flange 221,to facilitate seating of the lid onto the container. Lead-in angle 222does not have to be provided in order to practice the invention, butsimply means that the lid and container do not have to be as preciselyaligned with each other to smoothly engage each other (as compared tonot having such a lead-in angle 222).

[0045] In addition, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understandthat the various features mentioned above (tongue larger thancorresponding groove, misalignment between tongue and groove, slopedtongue, etc.) can be used in various iterations and combinations witheach other in various embodiments of the invention.

[0046] Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed with some specificity, the description and drawings set forthherein are not intended to be delimiting, and persons of ordinary skillin the art will understand that various modifications may be made to theembodiments discussed herein without departing from the scope of theinvention, and all such changes and modifications are intended to beencompassed within the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for providing a liquid-tight seal,including: a container having an upper edge defining an opening; and aninjection-molded lid configured to cover said opening, said lid having achannel at its periphery, said channel configured to abut and form aliquid-tight seal with said upper edge of said container when said lidis assembled on said container.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in whichsaid container upper edge is tapered from a relatively thinner dimensionto a relatively thicker dimension moving in from said upper edge towarda bottom portion of said container, and said channel includes acorresponding tapered section, said tapering relationship providingcontacting and sealing engagement between said lid and said container onboth an inner contact surface and an outer contact surface of said upperedge.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said channel also sealinglycontacts a transition surface on said container upper edge between saidinner contact surface and said outer contact surface, when said lid andsaid container are assembled with each other.
 4. The apparatus of claim2 or claim 3, in which said channel on said lid is formed by an innerskirt and an outer skirt, both of which are generally downwardlydirected, and said outer skirt includes a lower portion spaced outwardlyfrom said container upper edge to facilitate engagement of said lid onsaid container.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3, includingcooperating engagement detents on said lid and said container to holdsaid lid and said container in said liquid-tight sealing relationship.6. The apparatus of claim 1, including corresponding tongue and groovemembers on said lid and said container to interfit with each otherwithin said channel, said tongue and groove members providing saidstructure to abut and form a liquid-tight seal with said upper edge ofsaid container.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which said upper edgeincludes a generally horizontal surface when said container openingfaces upwards, and said generally horizontal surface extends generallyabout the periphery of said container, and said tongue and groovemembers include a groove formed in said horizontal surface, said lidchannel including a corresponding generally horizontal surface thatconfronts said generally horizontal surface of said container edge, andsaid tongue and groove members further include a tongue element formedon said generally horizontal surface of said lid channel, said tongueelement on said lid channel sized and configured to seat within saidgroove in said container upper edge in a liquid sealing manner when saidlid and container are engaged.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 or claim 7,in which said tongue member is slightly larger than said groove member.9. The apparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, in which said tongue member ismisaligned horizontally with respect to said groove member.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, in which at least a portion of saidtongue member has a cross-section that is sloped inwardly.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, in which at least a portion of saidtongue member has a cross-section that is sloped outwardly.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, in which at least a portion of saidtongue member has a cross-section that is sloped, said tongue member isslightly larger than said groove member, and said tongue member ismisaligned horizontally with respect to said groove member.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, including cooperating engagementdetents on said lid and said container to hold said lid and saidcontainer in said liquid-tight sealing relationship.
 14. A container lidhaving a tapered channel at its periphery, said channel configured toabut and form a liquid-tight seal with an upper edge of a correspondingcontainer when said lid is assembled on the container, said taperingproviding contacting and sealing engagement between said lid and thecontainer on both an inner contact surface and an outer contact surfaceof said channel.
 15. The lid of claim 14, including engagement detentson said lid to engage corresponding detents on the container, to holdsaid lid in said liquid-tight sealing relationship on the container. 16.A lid having a generally U-shaped cross section, both legs of said crosssection configured to abut a corresponding container to thereby form aliquid-tight seal with the container.
 17. The lid of claim 16, includinginwardly directed engagement detents on the outermost of said legs toengage corresponding detents on the container, to hold said lid in saidliquid-tight sealing relationship on the container.
 18. Apparatus forproviding a liquid-tight seal, including: a container having an upperedge defining an opening; said upper edge constituting in cross sectiona generally vertical wedge member, said wedge member tapering in crosssection from an uppermost point region of said upper edge to a widerregion spaced away from said uppermost portion; and a lid configured tocover said opening, said lid having a correspondingly-shaped wedgereceiving channel at its periphery, said correspondence between saidwedge member and said channel forming a liquid-tight seal therebetweenwhen said lid is assembled on said container, with substantially nodeformation of said wedge receiving channel required for said assemblyof said lid and container, said wedge member and said channel includingan inner contact and an outer contact surface between said lid and saidcontainer, said inner contact surface extending toward the bottom of thecontainer as least as far as said outer contact surface.